Marist’s Duke White stepped into a half circle of kneeling teammates, their heads bowed. After a difficult loss, he didn’t like what he was seeing and he said so.
Everybody — coaches included — stopped and paid attention when White spoke, imploring everybody to get their heads up.
“There’s no reason we should be moping,” he said later. “We played as hard as we could. We did the best we could — keep your heads up. Be honored that you played that hard.”
White, who shifted from weakside linebacker to middle linebacker this season, was a physical force as well for the RedHawks in a 7-6 loss to host Glenbard West in Glen Ellyn.
In addition to a handful of solo tackles, White recorded a sack and broke up a pass deep in the second quarter that resulted in a missed field-goal attempt by the Hilltoppers (1-0).
The loss overshadowed the season-opening effort of Owen Winters, who ran for a 64-yard touchdown to lead Marist (0-1). The senior quarterback finished with 136 yards rushing. He also completed 7 of 19 passes for 59 yards.
Winters’ kindred spirit on defense is the 5-foot-10, 210-pound White. As an eighth grader playing for the Englewood Wolverines, he was scheduled to go to Mount Carmel.
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But when he shadowed at Marist, “I fell in love with it,” he said.
That was a good get for coach Ron Dawczak, who had his eye on White for some time.
“When I watched him as an eighth grader, I thought, ‘He’s going to be a kid who is going to bring so much to a program,'” Dawczak said. “You could see his love of the game.
“He played running back and linebacker, and he made some plays that opened my eyes.”
White credited two former senior teammates as key mentors in helping him make the transition to middle linebacker.
When White was a sophomore, it was Jimmy Rolder, who’s now playing for Michigan. Last season, it was Peter Marinopoulos, who’s wrestling at Illinois.
“I really learned from them … how to be aggressive, what to expect meeting you in the hole, what not to bite on, what to bite on,” White said. “Follow your assignment.”
White is paying it forward. He raves about junior linebacker Ricky Ericksen, who’s also a wrestler. What specifically is Ericksen learning from White?
“How to be a leader,” he said. “Duke’s probably the best leader I’ve ever been around for football. I mean, there’s no one like him. His energy is up. He brings the team’s energy up.”
Dawczak said White is both a vocal leader and a leader by example.
“If guys are lacking energy, he’s hyping them up,” Dawczak said. “Duke brings it all. He is that energy guy, and he’s going to be the hardest worker in the room.
“I look at the younger guys in the program, and all I have to do is point to Duke.”
White has been an energetic sort since he started playing baseball at age 4. He confirmed he was aggressive as youngster, and for that reason, it was suggested he play football.
Good choice, especially for Dawczak and Marist, which faces a daunting challenge ahead.
In addition to Glenbard West, the nonconference schedule includes Loyola. And then there’s CCL/ESCC Green opponents St. Ignatius, Joliet Catholic and Notre Dame.
Does that worry White, who’s planning to play in college? Not in the least.
“We feel like we’re an organization that can compete with the best of the best,” he said. “It makes us a sharper team.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.